Winter Bones
by jerna.collins
Summary: They've got fireplaces in their hearts. Gruvia.


**Note: **Let me explain when you get to the end of this (if you ever get there).

* * *

><p><strong>WINTER BONES<strong>

A Gruvia One-Shot Fanfiction

**# # #**

_They've got fireplaces in their hearts_

**# # #**

Twin oceans of mirth are barely contained in her eyes.

She's looking at the world around them, and he's looking at her—taking snapshots of her smile, making him tug at the corners of his lips without intending to. He's taking snapshots of her whole figure, looking like an angel trapped in a snow globe. He's taking snapshots of her waist, and of her arms, and of her blue, blue eyes; taking snapshots of everything that has touched him, and of everything that he has clung to near his parents' grave.

Earlier, before he closed the door behind him, he took notice of how normal his apartment looked. There weren't any signs of him moving out for a while. Nothing at all (unless you open his closet).

He and Juvia are going to the train station and leave Magnolia—both of them having no idea for how long.

They're going to rent an apartment in a nearby village—somewhere close to his old home. Then, he's going to train like mad.

Gray has always thought that he'll be drifting through his life alone; drifting through his life with his walls up. Sometimes, he would find himself thinking if he's shown too much skin back at the cemetery about a week ago. He was so overwhelmed with grief that his dad slipped away from his fingers for the second time. He was buried with the budding fear of being abandoned and was almost going to swear that he'd never let anyone close again; never let himself feel too much until Juvia startled him by showing up without warning.

He didn't know what she was going to say but somehow, he wasn't surprised. What really got him was her punishment of not letting herself love him. That made Gray angry—with himself—because he's been too harsh and insensitive around her that she thought her actions of killing the Necromancer (and Silver) was something Gray would find reason enough to push her away.

Heck, she doesn't have a clue that he would have done the same if he had the guts to take his own father's life.

Right now, with the two of them walking, crunching snow under their feet, Gray wants to tell her she is so stupid for thawing the ice; for melting away his defenses. Right now, Gray wants to tell her that she didn't do anything wrong because he's this impulsive bastard who's always been snapping at her. Right now, Gray wants to tell her that he's hoping she won't abandon him, too, because she's so close to him, so close that she can reach through his chest and hold his beating heart, and that only a few people have managed to do so and that every single one of them is already gone.

Juvia turns her head to him, her eyes shining with bliss.

"Juvia loves winter," she says while twisting the fabric of her dress, and her fingers, and his heart.

"Yeah?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. He's holding tight to the straps of the large duffel bag he's carrying.

"You see," she explains, "it always rained when Juvia's around before…" she blushes and bites her bottom lip. "Before Gray-sama took it away."

Gray avoids her eyes, knowing he'll be a dead man before they could reach the train station if he'll keep on locking his gaze into her.

"But whenever winter came," she continues, "Juvia's rain would freeze and turn into snowflakes. And she didn't find it as depressing as the rain. It's the only time she's not haunted by the horrible pitter-patter sound of it."

Gray lifts his eyes back to her and thinks how much tied their elements are. He wonders if any of this is being strung together by the universe; pulling their fates closer and closer in each passing minute.

Even if he's an ice mage, he shudders upon the dread he feels about defeating END, though he's not going to admit he's afraid. Not in a million years.

When he was there at the cemetery, he felt like a hopeless little kid again, but this time, he and Juvia are going to live nearby to remember why he's doing this.

He puts aside all the jumbled thoughts and focuses on what's about to happen.

Gray doesn't appreciate until now how nice it is to be fully supported by someone. And Juvia is a brave woman with the spirit of the ocean. He can't help but take deep breaths with this idea in mind because she's an ocean and he's in no business to deny he's drowning.

Around them are huddled figures walking side by side. People are sending looks at them because they are the only ones who aren't covered in layers of coats and jackets and sweaters.

But Juvia's got him and he's got her scarf around his neck.

And it's enough to keep them warm.

**END**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Hi! I'm sorry. I haven't written any fan fic for months. And my writing's a bit rusty. Anyway, we have midterms and instead of studying, I decided to feel the obligation of being a fangfirl. So… Gray's OOC here. But I think it's legit because you know, we saw in chapter 416 that he hugged Juvia although he's not someone who is likely to initiate hugging. Plus, he's a tsundere, not a robot so I think maybe he has this thoughts in mind sometimes but he's just not actually saying it aloud because he's determined to keep his cool or whatever. Anyway, I'm really sorry for the typos. And my mind is panicking with midterms (not that I'm going to do anything about it). But please do leave your reviews. All will be appreciated ^^


End file.
